<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Gallant Life Asea by shopfront</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28673019">Gallant Life Asea</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/shopfront/pseuds/shopfront'>shopfront</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Once Upon a Time (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Alternate Universe - The Enchanted Forest (Once Upon a Time), Getting Together, Multi, Pirates, Rescue, Sharing a Bed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 05:28:44</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,015</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28673019</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/shopfront/pseuds/shopfront</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>News of the kidnapped child spread far and wide, aided on its way by magic. Tales of the beauty and kindness of her parents and the sadness that their kingdom felt over the loss were eventually known by all, including her kidnappers.</p><p>Losing heart, they turned from their path to the Evil Queen’s castle but the Queen’s magic ensured they could not make it back safely. The princess was thought lost forever. Until one day, when two pirates appear to steal her away again.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Captain Hook | Killian Jones/Milah/Emma Swan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Holly Poly 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Gallant Life Asea</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/coaldustcanary/gifts">coaldustcanary</a>.</li>



    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Emma tensed when the back of her neck started prickling. Trying not to show her awareness, she continued browsing casually through the the stall and bent over as if to examine an item more closely - ‘knocking’ her hood and drawing it further down to hide her face in the process.</p><p>The stallholder looked smug as she straightened but his smirk faded when she immediately shook her head and turned away, uninterested in his wares. In fact, she’d already all but forgotten him. Her spin had been just sudden enough, and she saw a dart of movement on the other side of the marketplace as somebody tried to disappear back into the shadows of an alley.</p><p>As quickly as she could, Emma slipped through the crowd between them. She didn’t even pause to pocket a rather tempting purse hanging carelessly from someone’s belt, in case she was noticed and the outcry prevented her from following her watcher. Picking up speed as she reached the mouth of the alley, Emma winced as she stepped wrong on a cobblestone - the soles of her boots really were getting too thin, not that she’d found a way to replace them yet - but she didn’t let that slow her down either.</p><p>Still, despite her attempts at speed, Emma was left with no doubt it all would have been for naught when she found a woman slouching carelessly at the other end of the alley. She was clad foot to shoulder in dark leather, her hair tumbling in waves around her shoulders, and she looked completely at home leaning back against the rough brick wall as she examined her nails. There was not even the slightest sign that she was worried about being followed, or had been truly attempting to evade Emma.</p><p>“Impressive,” she drawled when Emma came to a stop a few feet away. Only the quick flicker of her eyes up and then back down hinted that Emma’s scrutiny might be returned. “That was a busy marketplace, I was sure it would take you longer to cross it.”</p><p>“You <em>were</em> watching me,” Emma said half to herself. Clenching her jaw and glaring, she raised her voice. “Why?”</p><p>That brought her gaze straight up to meet Emma’s. “I was curious. You’re a good pickpocket but you don’t look like you enjoy it all that much.”</p><p>She waited a moment while Emma stared at her before stepping forward and holding out a hand. Emma took a hasty step back without shaking it but that didn’t seem to bother the woman in the slightest.</p><p>“Needs must, of course. My name is Milah. I could help you find… alternative means of employment, if you like.”</p><p>“How did you-”</p><p>“I’ve been watching you for awhile now. You have the look of someone who yearns for new places and far off things,” Milah said.</p><p>Emma pressed her lips together and narrowed her eyes.</p><p>“You’re wondering how I know that,” Milah continued, drifting closer still. Emma just watched her advance this time, trying to decide whether she wanted to retreat or stand her ground. “Well, I know because I used to look like that. I used to want more as well, a lot more.”</p><p>“You don’t know anything about me,” Emma replied with a bitter laugh.</p><p>“I know more than you might think.”</p><p>But Emma just snorted as she started backing away again. This time, Milah let her go. Her gaze was intense though, searching for something in Emma’s as she watched her retreat.</p><p>“Nice try but whatever you’re trying to peddle here, I’m not interested,” Emma said once she’d put a decent distance between them.</p><p>Milah’s voice still followed her down the alley and back into the crowd. “Suit yourself,” she called. “I’ll be around for a few days longer if you change your mind.”</p><p>*</p><p>The next time Emma saw Milah it was on the other side of town, and she didn’t so much see her as glimpse a familiar lean shadow out of the corner of her eye as she pelted her way out the back door of a tavern. Her knee-jerk instinct was to react as if she had two threats nipping at her heels, but the flash of sunlight on metal at Milah’s hip dissuaded her from that at the very last second.</p><p>These were no small-town guardsmen at her back. If there was even the slightest chance that Milah’s words the other day meant she might raise a weapon in Emma’s defense-</p><p>She slowed a little without meaning to as she reached Milah’s side, but Milah’s hand shot out to shove her onward before she could ask - for help, for that new job, to disappear somewhere new with her, Emma wasn’t even sure what words might have come out of her mouth. Milah’s battle cry and the answering shouts behind her hurried her on, ignoring the burn in her lungs and legs as she struggled to keep up the pace.</p><p>Milah found her again a few streets over, bent over and clutching her side behind a pile of crates.</p><p>“I can’t stay here,” Emma gasped as she struggled to catch her breath.</p><p>Milah seemed far less winded despite the fight, already peering around the next corner and checking it was safe. “No, you can’t,” she agreed, sounding distracted. “Don’t worry. I know the perfect place for you to go instead.”</p><p>The perfect place turned out to be the docks and a ship tethered at the very end of them. People were moving busily around on its deck, carrying things on and off and yelling crude things to the sailors on the other boats.</p><p>“Those men don’t exactly look like they’re in the navy,” Emma said, thinking aloud as they walked up to it.</p><p>Milah only laughed. “There’s not a lot of space belowdeck for an extra passenger right now so you can rest awhile in our cabin,” was all she said in reply as she waved Emma across the boarding plank and onto the deck proper.</p><p>“Our?” Emma asked, beginning to feeling distinctly nervous again. Yes, it might be a deadly decision to stay, but-</p><p>“That’s right, love. The cabin belongs to Milah and I, though you’re very welcome to share it,” came a voice from behind her, startling her into a spin as she turned to face him. The man was leaning against the central sail mast and watching them, a smile lurking at the corners of his lips as he flipped a dagger idly over in his hand. He looked entirely comfortable and unconcerned, even as the rest of the crew bustled back and forth around him and eyed Emma and Milah with open curiosity as they worked.</p><p>He stood up straight as soon as he noticed Emma’s wary eyes on the dagger and it quickly disappeared into his coat faster than she could follow. She took a cautious step back anyway, only to bump straight into Milah who was suddenly as unyielding as stone behind her.</p><p>“I mean you no harm,” he said quickly, holding up both his hands in Emma’s direction. They were empty and palm-first, a clear gesture of supplication.</p><p>“It’s true, he doesn’t,” Milah said from behind Emma, her breath brushing the lobe of Emma’s ear and amusement clear in her voice. Emma grit her teeth against a shudder as she squared her shoulders and widened her stance.</p><p>She might not have been trained to fight, not like pirates would have been. Emma would still wager she’d picked up a few more tricks than they’d expect her to have. The man bowed to her before she could try any of them though, leaving her blinking at him in surprise.</p><p>“The name’s Killian,” he said with a wink and a flourish of one hand, his other resting jauntily on the hilt of his sword as he straightened. “And I’m more than happy to take on a passenger if Milah here is vouching for you.”</p><p>Emma waited for Milah to do precisely that but she only chuckled again. Her touch was gentle on Emma’s back as she nudged her forward, easing them both out of the way of the crew as she and Killian exchanged a long look between them. She had Emma halfway ready to climb down into the belly of the ship before she’d even realised what they were doing.</p><p>“This is a pirate ship,” Emma cried, grasping for something, anything, to slow things down and give herself time to think.</p><p>Killian had already turned away, finally busying himself alongside the crew, so it was Milah who answered her. “That would have alarmed me once, too, but I’ve found that pirates can be just as gallant and kind as townspeople sometimes aren’t. I suspect you know a little about the second, at least.”</p><p>She huffed when Emma wasn’t so easily swayed.</p><p>“Truly,” Milah insisted, and there was something indignantly earnest in her voice that finally reached Emma’s fears and soothed them. “I’m only trying to help you. You’re free to leave right now if you wish!”</p><p>And with that she stepped past Emma, climbing down into hold with an annoyed toss of her hair. Emma only hesitated for a moment, looking back over her shoulder. Killian met her gaze, the corners of his eyes crinkling and a small smile on his lips as he dipped his head at her in acknowledgement. </p><p>Emma took a deep breath and nodded back before she turned and followed Milah down. It took her a little bit to find her way in the dimmer light, but the ship wasn’t so very big and she quickly found Milah in a small cabin.</p><p>“There’s wine in that bottle for drinking and water in that barrel for bathing if you want it,” Milah told her without looking up. “You can use the basin in the corner but be sparing if you do. We’ll be setting sail tonight and not taking on additional supplies.”</p><p>She continued rummaging in a chest for a moment before emerging with a small bundle of cloth that she tossed on the end of the bed. “That’ll be more comfortable for you to sleep in, I’d guess,” Milah explained as she brushed back past Emma to the door, tilting her head towards the bundle when she noticed Emma looking confused. “Suit yourself if you don’t wish to sleep, but it would be best to stay down here for now out of everybody’s way. The deck will only get busier as the day wears on.”</p><p>Exhausted from her long morning, it didn’t take Emma long to throw caution to the wind once she was alone and get changed so she could crawl into the bed. There wasn’t a lot of space in the cabin for two people, let alone three, but the sun still shone so she pulled the covers over her head and put that thought aside for now to let herself rest.</p><p>Sleep claimed her easily, until a particularly loud thunk finally broke through her dreams. Stirring reluctantly, she opened her eyes. There were footsteps and raised voices somewhere above her, both explained when the boat suddenly gave a great lurch and began to move.</p><p>Squinting around in the weakening light still filtering in through the windows, she noticed a wooden bowl had been left by the bed with a big hunk of bread and an apple in it. Exhaustion still tugged at her, so with a shrug she ate quickly and curled back up. Nobody had come to waken her and she didn’t know anything about setting sail anyway. Milah was right, she’d probably just be in the way.</p><p>It didn’t take long before she was drifting off again. She only stirred once more, in the very early hours, when someone pulled back the covers to join her. Gentle fingers quickly moved to stroke her hair until she settled again, and then she knew no more about it until morning when she awoke to an empty bed.</p><p>*</p><p>As the days wore on at sea, Emma found herself being taught how to navigate with a sextant by Killian and how to sword fight by Milah. Her intention to only travel to the next port accidentally became many ports as she began to learn a little of how to rig a sail and how to sort cargo so only the right things would be carried off in each new place. In one port Milah and Killian found her proper fitting leathers, and in another she used their favourite card tricks to win herself a shiny pair of daggers that fit perfectly in the sides of her new boots.</p><p>Bit by bit all of her old, worn things were replaced with things newer, more practical or warm, or sometimes even simply more luxurious, until she was outfitted head to toe like any of the crew she worked alongside. Somehow though, no matter how long she stayed aboard ship, she only ever seemed to enter the cabin to sleep just as Killian or Milah left it.</p><p>“Oh aye, the sea is a canny thing,” Killian said when she asked him about it. “None of us hope to keep regular habits if we wish to survive her.”</p><p>Emma tried to question him more closely about it but he put her off so adeptly she had to give up. They were expecting to make port again in a day or two if the winds held, and there was no shortage of distractions to be had or work to be done so they’d be ready to dock.</p><p>That night she crawled into the bed in the dark, exhausted with her hands stinging and raw from hauling rope in the rain; for once she found the sheets warm instead of chilled. Two voices answered her when she tried to apologise for disturbing them, and two sets of hands tugged her down into the scant space between them when she faltered while trying to rise back to her feet.</p><p>“Go to sleep already,” Milah grumbled into Emma’s hair as Killian laughed, though her voice sounded fond and soft around the edges with exhaustion.</p><p>“Can you really drift off so easily?” Emma sniped back even as she nestled more comfortably into the crook of Milah’s arm as it wrapped around her waist. Her very bones seemed to ache but her hair also smelt like a salty sea breeze and her pulse thrummed with the adrenaline of trying to keep her footing on a slippery deck.</p><p>“I never can,” Killian answered in a whisper that sounded more like a confession, and Emma could just about make out the flash of his teeth in the darkness as he smiled at the ceiling. She’d landed on the mattress facing him, Milah curled over her back, and now - realising how close their faces were - her breath caught.</p><p>Grateful that the darkness must be hiding her blush as easily as it had hid the bed’s occupants, Emma hoped for a scant moment that it had gone unnoticed. Milah’s grip tightening around her waist and Killian’s face turning towards her quickly put paid to that hope.</p><p>It took a second for her to realise through her panic, but Milah’s thumb had also started up a steady sweep across her stomach that she could easily feel through the thin linen of her sleeping shift. Killian’s body also turned to follow his head, until he was stretched out alongside her and facing them from head to foot. His arm came down as he rolled, his hand landing on her side; his fingers easily covered the width of her waist and Milah’s wrist in one fell swoop, and Emma’s heart dipped with it sharply in anticipation.</p><p>Nobody moved for a long moment, nobody even breathed.</p><p>“Is this alright, love?” Killian finally asked and Emma’s breath hitched again as she nodded. It was Milah’s lips that reached her first though, kissing the back of neck as Killian found Emma’s mouth with his.</p><p>*</p><p>There was something about the colour of the stone and the clothes of the people that caught Emma’s attention when they made port the next day. She frowned out across the docks as she stood next to the ship and checked each crate and barrel when it passed her.</p><p>“We’ll be staying here a little longer than usual,” Killian told her, joining her on the dock as the crew carted the last barrel away. Milah was lingering on the deck of the ship, her face like a thundercloud as Killian took Emma by the hand and drew her away.</p><p>“What’s going on?” Emma asked warily.</p><p>“I’m not sure we’re the best people to explain that to you, love,” Killian said, sounding unusually hesitant. “We took a job, you see. There was a fairy who told us where to go to find you to bring you back here - back home, to your family.”</p><p>Emma stopped dead, pressing her heels hard into the wood of the dock until Killian stopped as well. She only just barely noticed the gathering commotion of people down the other end of the docks as she stared at him and he looked back at her with sad eyes.</p><p>“The <em>Jolly Roger</em> won’t leave port unless you ask us to go,” he continued even as Emma shook her head; his words weren’t making sense. He took both her hands in his when she tried to pull away, his grip warm and reassuring even as her stomach was filling with lead. “We’d love to simply sail away with you to the ends of this world and beyond and keep you all to ourselves, but that wouldn’t have been fair. You deserve to know where you come from so you can make a proper choice.”</p><p>Behind him the churning crowd parted, revealing an older couple in resplendent clothes with achingly desperate expressions.</p><p>“I promise, love. We’ll wait for however long it takes and we’ll be right here when you need us, for anything at all that you might need,” he said and, heart in her throat, Emma gripped his hands back just as hard and believed him.</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>